CANTO III.]
HUDIBRAS.
133
Mere disparata,[1] that concerning
Presbytery, this human learning;
Two things's' averse, they never yet,1375
But in thy rambling fancy, met.[2]
But I shall take a fit occasion
T' evince thee by ratiocination,
Some other time, in place more proper
Than this w' are in: therefore let's stop here,1380
And rest our weary'd bones awhile,
Already tir'd with other toil.
- ↑ Things so different from each other, that they cannot be compared.
- ↑ The Presbytery of those times had little learning among them, though many made pretences to it; but, seeing all their boasted arguments and doctrines, wherever they differed from the Church of England, controverted and battled by the learned divines of that Church, they found that without more learning they should not maintain their ground. Therefore, about the time of the Revolution, they began to think it very necessary, instead of Calvin's Institutes, and a Dutch System or two, to help them to arguments against Episcopacy, to study more polite books. It is certain that dissenting ministers, since that time, have both preached and written more learnedly and politely.
